The Dance Of Faith : A Novel

By R. Seshasayee

₹ 499.00 inclusive of all taxes

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About the book

Mesmerized by the vibrance of classical dance, young Zaheer yearns to be a Bharatanatyam dancer. Yet, in his small but multi-cultural village community, he finds encouragement only in his aunt, Anandhi, and faces ridicule from his immediate family and extended social circle. In the course of his struggle, as he transitions from being a member of a conservative Muslim family that is outraged by his unusual interest, into becoming a part of the charming world of a classical dance form that imposes its own religious typecasting, he encounters different facets of faith. The novel explores the legitimacy of the space that Zaheer wishes to carve out for himself beyond stereotypes of black and white, amidst gaping social disparities, and in between Hinduism and Islam. Interwoven with his narrative is one of Andal, the Vaishnavite savant poetess who rebels against the orthodoxy of her faith and creates her own idiom of devotion.

The Dance of Faith is a vibrant and brilliantly crafted tapestry of art, dance, cinema and religion of the Tamil region in which the sordid and spectacular shine through equally.

Pages: 320

Available in: Paperback

Language: English

R. Seshasayee

Seshasayee is a very well-respected senior business leader.He has held several leadership positions, including as executive vice chairmanand managing director of Ashok Leyland Ltd, chairman, Infosys Ltd, chairman,IndusInd Bank Ltd, etc. He is presently vice chairman, Hinduja Group andindependent director, Asian Paints Ltd.

He was president of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII),president of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers ( SIAM) and hasserved on several committees of the Government of India, including the Board ofTrade. He was also the co-chair of World Economic Forum, Middle East.

Seshasayee is deeply committed to social causes, and is thefounder member of Krea University, chairman of Cancer Institute, Chennai,chairman of the executive committee of Hinduja National Hospital, Mumbai, andchairman of Schizophrenia Research Foundation of India. He was formerlychairman of National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli ( NITT) and othereducational institutions.

He served as chairman, Board of Trustees of SrirangamTemple. He has also received formal training in classical music and was,till recently, the vice president of the Music Academy, Chennai.

The Dance of Faith is his debut novel.

“

Seshasayee’s deft telling of [Zakir’s] life leaves us stirred, yet disturbed. And the uncomfortable and unanswered questions it throws up stay with us long after the last page has been turned. - T.M. Krishna

Seshasayee’s gift of language, of turns of original phrasing, minting figures of speech, is captivating. But that gift yields place to his masterful understanding of life. He takes us through the furnaces of conflict, division and anguish to there, where seeker meets the sought. - Gopalkrishna Gandhi

The story is sketched in a very visual style, capturing the vibrant hues of Tamil Nadu, it’s society, art and religion. A great human story. - Rajiv Menon